And after the pillow fights and cooking projects and hide-and-seek games and drawing on the bathroom mirrors and zooming and zipping and jumping and running inside, there’s more fun to be had outside. Because when the rain stops, the mud puddles beckon. Splat!    The delightful bunny and mouse duo from Overboard! are back in a mischievous and messy romp that toddlers will adore.

    Children engage with the book as they wiggle their fingers to water the seeds, clap to make the sun shine after rain, and shoo away a hungry snail. And for curious young nature lovers, a page of facts about seeds, flowers, and the insects and animals featured in the book is included at the end.

    This gorgeous picture book from celebrated author Mary Lyn Ray features luminous and evocative art from Lauren Stringer and will capture the hearts of young dancers everywhere.

    Acorns nibbled by chipmunks, ants scurrying across a trunk, a spider spinning a web, leaves “breathing out air for all to breathe in”—everything adds up to a “busy tree” for all to “come and see.”

    Soon, a wet butterfly, then a drenched mouse, a dripping sparrow, and even a rain-soaked rabbit each beg to join him under his miniature umbrella. How can the ant let the others in when there is barely room enough for one? But as the rain comes down and down, they all somehow manage to squeeze together and share the tiny shelter. And when the sun finally comes out, the ant discovers a magical secret of just what happens to mushrooms in the rain!

    With colorful, springy scenes and the familiar lyrics, this is a beautiful, gift-worthy, feel-good read-aloud.

    Why? Because on every other day of the week, McToad mows Big Island, but on Thursdays, McToad mows Tiny Island. To do so, he puts his mower on the back of a truck, which drives to a train, which goes to a helicopter, which flies to a boat, which uses a crane to put the lawn mower onto Tiny Island. There McToad mows and drinks some lemonade, and before you know it, it’s time to turn around and go back home. But first, the mower has to get lifted by a crane, to get put back on a boat, which is lifted by a helicopter, and . . . well . . . you get the idea. From master storyteller Tom Angleberger and celebrated illustrator John Hendrix comes this playful narrative that treasures the journey over the destination, with lots of planes, trains, and automobiles to boot. Also available by John Hendrix: Miracle Man

    With a text of few words, frequent repetitions, and delicate illustrations with which children will quickly identify, the book follows a young child's discovery of other creatures. This discovery comes with the recognition that while other creatures can suddenly appear they can also go away and disappear just as quickly. But the delightful appearance of a dad and his playful swoop of his toddler up onto his shoulders will remind little ones that the people who love them will always be there and will never, ever not come back.Hatsue Nakawaki is a prolific author of children's books.Komako Sakai was born in Hyogo, Japan, in 1966. After graduating from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, Sakai worked at a kimono textile design company. She is currently one of the most popular authors and illustrators in Japan. Her books Emily's Balloon and The Snow Day have been published in the United States and were received with starred reviews and much acclaim.

    A shady tree. A bright kite. And a full picnic basket. Four little pigs and their parents head outside to enjoy a beautiful day. With a little help from some new (and unexpected) friends, they climb trees, fly kites, and enjoy a delicious picnic. Even a sudden rain shower can’t ruin their fun. Because rain means . . . MUD! Hooray!The award-winning and New York Times–bestselling Matt Phelan has created a timeless, must-have picture book for the youngest reader. Expressive watercolors; a simple, repetitive text; and gentle, satisfying twists will delight fans of Tad Hills’s Duck & Goose and Anna Dewdney’s Llama Llama books.

    . . he'd fall upon his bottomus!Calamity ensues when an elephant, a centipede, and a rhinoceros try finding a cure for hippo's colossal case of hiccups. Zenz's creativity shines through with his use of colored pencil in this off-the-wall read-aloud. HIC! HIC! HIC!

    Mmm, something smells good in the kitchen. Big Brown Bear is curious—what are those little bears up to? Are they making something special? No peeking, Big Brown Bear! Floppy and Fuzzy, Yellow and Calico have a cake to bake and a gift to wrap, then it’s finally time for the birthday surprise. Delightful rhymes and huggable bears are just the right ingredients for a cheerful birthday read-aloud.

    The only thing to do is go out and find that moo! Join Cow and her friends as they conduct their vocal barnyard search. Cow tramps through a wheat field and on into the starry night until she is too tired to look any farther. But in the end, Cow and her moo are reunited, and all is well.The simple repetition will have children chanting right along with Cow—"It is not you who has my moo!"Using a van Gogh-inspired palette and art style, Caldecott Honor winner Denise Fleming has created a character who will appeal directly to a preschooler's sense of humor.The Cow Who Clucked is a 2007 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

    "Mmm," she says. "I'm going to gobble that up!" So she shakes the tree a little to the right, and she shakes the tree a little to the left. But it isn't the nut that falls from the tree, it's Fox, who thinks that Mouse looks pretty tasty! Soon a warthog and then a bear come along with similar ideas. Little readers will enjoy the just-made-it escapes (and be happy to get in on the shaking action), only to laugh out loud when their expectations are foiled at the end.

    As soon as the sun goes down, the animals are up! ("Sheep can't sleep. Sheep can't sleep. Sheep can't sleep 'cause they got that beat!") Before long, there's a giant farmyard dance party, complete with funny animal sounds. But what happens when all the racket wakes up Farmer Sue? Here's a colorful bedtime story that begs to be read aloud.

     Danny watches the white flakes dance outside his window. But what is snow? Danny wonders, and he goes out to see for himself. Snow is friendly, but it can also be fierce. It just depends on your imagination!